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brnmw

January 31, 2013, 04:47 PM

Wyoming Taxes Wyoming receives more federal tax dollars per capita in aid than any other state except Alaska. The federal aid per capita in Wyoming is more than double the U.S. average. Wyoming also sends more natural resource taxes per capita to Washington DC than any other State except Alaska. Unlike most other states, Wyoming does not levy an individual or corporate income tax. In addition, Wyoming does not assess any tax on retirement income earned and received from another state. Wyoming has a state sales tax of 4%. Counties have the option of collecting an additional 1% tax for general revenue and a 1% tax for specific purposes, if approved by voters. Food for human consumption is not subject to sales tax. There also is a county lodging tax that varies from 2% to 5%. The state collects a use tax of 5% on items purchased elsewhere and brought into Wyoming. All property tax is based on the assessed value of the property and Wyoming's Department of Revenue's Ad Valorem Tax Division supports, trains, and guides local government agencies in the uniform assessment, valuation and taxation of locally assessed property. "Assessed value" means taxable value; "taxable value" means a percent of the fair market value of property in a particular class. Statutes limit property tax increases. For county revenue, the property tax rate cannot exceed 12 mills (or 1.2%) of assessed value. For cities and towns, the rate is limited to 8 mills (0.8%). With very few exceptions, state law limits the property tax rate for all governmental purposes.

Personal property held for personal use is tax-exempt. Inventory if held for resale, pollution control equipment, cash, accounts receivable, stocks and bonds are also exempt. Other exemptions include property used for religious, educational, charitable, fraternal, benevolent and government purposes and improvements for handicapped access. Mine lands, underground mining equipment, and oil and gas extraction equipment are exempt from property tax but companies must pay a gross products tax on minerals and a severance tax on mineral production.
Wyoming does not collect inheritance taxes. Because of the phase-out of the federal estate tax credit, Wyoming's estate tax is not imposed on estates of persons who died in 2005. There is limited estate tax related to federal estate tax collection.

In 2008, the Tax Foundation ranked Wyoming as having the single most "business friendly" tax climate of all 50 states. Wyoming state and local governments in fiscal year 2007 collected $2.242 billion in taxes, levies, and royalties from the oil and gas industry. The state's mineral industry, including oil, gas, trona, and coal provided $1.3 billion in property taxes from 2006 mineral production.
State sport: Rodeo
State reptile: Horned lizard
State motto: Equal Rights
State soil: Forkwood

Texas:
Teaxs Taxation has a "low taxes, low services" reputation. According to the Tax Foundation, Texans' state and local tax burdens rank among the lowest in the nation, 7th lowest nationally; state and local taxes cost $3,580 per capita, or 8.4% of resident incomes. Texas is one of seven states that lack a state income tax.

Instead, the state collects revenue from a state property tax and sales tax, which is charged at the rate of 6.25%, but local taxing jurisdictions (cities, counties, special purpose districts, and transit authorities) may also impose sales and use tax up to 2% for a total maximum combined rate of 8.25%. Texas is a "tax donor state"; in 2005, for every dollar Texans paid to the federal government in federal income taxes, the state received approximately $0.94 in benefits.
Texas....
State sport: rodeo
State reptile: Texas Horned Lizard
State motto: "Friendship"
State soil: Houston Black (Could have fooled me, I thought it was just Clay.)
State Beverage: Beer (Lone Star to be exact!)

Two things you need right here in Texas "Friendship & Beer!" :)
Wyoming is too cold and I am not going to lie Texas gets pretty hot!
Good Luck.

wyohome

January 31, 2013, 04:58 PM

The seasons are a short spring and fall, long summer and a sunny winter. Not too cold, sometimes below zero up here in the north, but generally sunny. As pointed out above, low taxes. We also have a low crime rate. The politics are conservative for the most part. CC permits are available, but none is needed in-state. The purpose of the CC permit is for reciprocity with more restrictive states.

Grassman

January 31, 2013, 05:37 PM

Retired, got a pension....Come on down to Texas! We need more responsible citizenry down here. It's January 31st and the temp is about 70 degrees today. Summers are tough though, no income tax.:D

CB900F

January 31, 2013, 06:09 PM

Mike56;

Wyoming's my native state, now live in Montana. Weather can vary wildly from region to region within the state. Jackson is some of the most expensive real estate on the face of the earth. The rest of the state regards Jackson as an "alternate reality". Winters can run Texan's home with their tail between their legs. Casper is Wyoming's Odessa/Midland, lot's of personnel transfer between the Texas & Wyoming oil towns. In Casper you can also buy bumper stickers that say: CASPER WYOMING CAST IRON KITE FLYING CAPITOL OF THE WORLD. The airport, with the Federal weather station, is of course OUT of the high wind area and therefore the official reports lie.

And, when Yellowstone blows you won't have to worry about a thing. Other than that, it's nice.

Snrk!! 900F

Steel Horse Rider

January 31, 2013, 06:20 PM

I have looked into buying property around the Sundance area in the northeast part of the state near the South Dakota line. The climate (according to the information I have found on the internet) is not a lot different than what we have in northern Colorado (a few degrees cooler) and you have all the benefits of conservative Wyoming rather than the tax and repress mentality that now rules Colorado. It is definitely worth investigating. I lived in the Texas Panhandle 25 years ago and in my opinion Wyoming overall is better than the Texas Panhandle.....

Cranky CJ

January 31, 2013, 11:08 PM

Wyoming = Wind.

wyohome

January 31, 2013, 11:30 PM

Wyoming = Wind. We don't get much wind up north, that is a southern Wyoming thing.

Takem406

January 31, 2013, 11:38 PM

Pronghorns! Go for it! :D

I go down to WY a lot! It's my second state almost due to work.

I almost hit a trophy class Loper on the road! He would have made book!
I personally like a few things about Wyo better than 'tana, fewer Californians and fewer hippies. Sherridan is an awesome town. Reminds me of Montana. The Hole is just a fun party and tourist trap.

In God and Glock we Trust

JohnBiltz

February 1, 2013, 03:34 AM

I lived in Laramie for two years. I liked it there. Friendly people, can't even go for a walk without people stopping and asking if you need a ride. Saying that, the weather is extreme. Wind, wind is not weather, its climate. Snow, both years I was there it started snowing in October, it stopped the first week in June and snowed hard enough in May to shut down the interstates. It is sunny, 300 days of sunshine a year and that does make a big difference compared to eastern winters. Wyoming is where people in Colorado go for vacation. It is a beautiful place though.

brnmw

February 1, 2013, 09:18 AM

Winters can run Texan's home with their tail between their legs.

This more so with South Texans.... North Texas IMO can get pretty cold, believe me I know I am from South Texas! If I see snow hell has indeed frozen over down here. :)

JohnM

February 1, 2013, 09:29 AM

The wind and winter keep out the riff raff.

breakingcontact

February 1, 2013, 10:12 AM

Retired, got a pension....Come on down to Texas! We need more responsible citizenry down here. It's January 31st and the temp is about 70 degrees today. Summers are tough though, no income tax.

I live in Colorado, and have family in Wyoming. It's a nice place to be. I think the wind is over exaggerated.

JohnM

February 1, 2013, 10:29 AM

I think the wind is over exaggerated.

You ain't been in any of our wind corridors.
It can be brutal at times.

CB900F

February 1, 2013, 11:23 AM

Izhevsk;

The Casper Star-Tribune once published a picture of my grade-school aged daughter while on her way home from school. She was haning onto an aluminum sign pole and her feet were off the ground. Down west of Cheyenne it's flipped railroad flat cars off the tracks.

900F

izhevsk

February 1, 2013, 12:18 PM

Izhevsk;

The Casper Star-Tribune once published a picture of my grade-school aged daughter while on her way home from school. She was haning onto an aluminum sign pole and her feet were off the ground. Down west of Cheyenne it's flipped railroad flat cars off the tracks.

900F
Guess I've been lucky thus far dodging the WY wind bullet. I would have framed that picture. :)

Ken70

February 1, 2013, 02:15 PM

April of 09 I drove into the NE corner from Montana, drove across the top of the state to Cody. Shell Canyon was something else...Found out in Cody, Yellowstone snowed in from Cody, either back track in Montana or head south to Thermopolis and back up to Jackson Hole. Did the southern route, Wind River Canyon was another eye opener. Got about 10 miles into Yellowstone before I hit the snow. Had to go back to Jackson Hole and then over the pass and north to the West gate, didn't have the time so no go. Not very many people on the roads I was on. I'd be a snow bird and head south in November.

JohnM

February 1, 2013, 02:28 PM

Beautiful day here.
40 degrees and the wind has dropped below 30MPH, after 3 days of 40-50.
I can even get glimpses of the mountains through the snow clouds once in a while. :D
Oh yeah, won't hardly even need a stampede string on my hat today!

Speedgoat

February 1, 2013, 02:41 PM

Mike56;

The rest of the state regards Jackson as an "alternate reality".

Agreed 110%, If you want to move to Wyoming to get away from the attitude it sounds like you are trying to get away from, You won't like Jackson much. Trust me.

JohnM

February 1, 2013, 02:47 PM

Jackson? Oh yeah, that place over the hill. Wish California would hurry up and annex it.
We tried to give it to Idaho, but they didn't want either.

sleepyone

February 1, 2013, 02:52 PM

I would suggest Wyoming. They need more people and are giving away 640 acre sections to each family who homesteads for 10 years. ;)

Texas is over-populated, hot and dry and the food is terrible. Too much steak and Mexican food. The women are real ugly. You would not like it here. Oh yeah, the hunting is terrible too. :D

JohnM

February 1, 2013, 03:03 PM

They need more people

Wadda ya mean we need more people! Every time I drive to town, and it's only 50 miles, I see other people driving on the highway!
I even see people driving down the dirt road that goes by my place I don't know.
Waaaay too many people around here anymore.
At least I can still go out the front door and shoot just about any direction with no other houses in range.

mike56

February 1, 2013, 05:02 PM

Appreciate all the responses.

Can't even consider Florida!

Been looking at the on line real estate. Wyoming is fairly expensive. Looked at Casper and Sheridan. Sheridan might be a little too far north. I can handle actual weather seasons. Hell, it was 4 a couple days ago. Figure I can get 250, to 275 for our place here. No mortgage to speak of. Not looking for acres, just don't want to sneeze and have the neighbor next door say god bless you!
Don't play golf. Some fishing, a lot of shooting, haven't hunted in awhile. Wife needs "normal" folks to make up for me. Libraries, movies.

Our son is in AZ but don't know where he'll end up (USMC). Just know we need to get out of here! I refuse to give these folks anymore of my money to piss away if they only give me lip service.

ricebasher302

February 1, 2013, 07:48 PM

I live in Sheridan. Real Estate can be brutal here, compared to many other areas of the state. Even range land is generally high here. $250,000 will get you a decent place on a (very) small acreage, or a nice place in town. Sheridan is about 16-18 thousand people with a nice library, a nice cinema and a nice (but ugly) rifle range/sportsman's club.

Less windy and more scenic than Casper. Gillette is a relative dump (hope no Campbell County residents take offense).

Many Wyomingites (myself included) are very protective of our state and its 50th ranked population. We like it that way. Winters usually have a week or two of sub-zero temperatures, sometimes hitting -20 or less. Summers can be hot and dry. Spring can be muddy an windy. Fall is almost always awesome.

Wyoming produces more coal that the rest of the nation combined. Lots of resource revenue for the state. Out of 23 counties, only one went blue in the last election, Teton County, which is where many wealthy non-natives have moved from other states.

Traveling often involves flying out of Billings, MT for the best rates. Denver is the nearest major hub.

PM me if you want more details about Sheridan or other parts of Wyoming.

splattergun

February 1, 2013, 08:20 PM

Wyoming, Vast tracts of wide open State and Federal public land and great hunting of everything but livestock.

Texas, Very little public land, crowded. Majority of hunting on private land, requiring ownership or leases and trophy fees, even for Texas Rats (feral hogs), or a cousin with acreage. "wildlife" (including T. Rats) is actually raised as livestock and is just as expensive.

breakingcontact

February 1, 2013, 08:24 PM

^guilty^ as charged...due to us being our own country at one point.

That is about the only thing we don't have going for us is much public land.

Will be very interesting to see how states populations and politics change over the years.

CB900F

February 1, 2013, 08:35 PM

Fella's;

The Stuckenhoff range in Casper is a pretty nice facility. And public, not a private gun club either.

900F

sleepyone

February 1, 2013, 11:33 PM

Wyoming, Vast tracts of wide open State and Federal public land and great hunting of everything but livestock.

Texas, Very little public land, crowded. Majority of hunting on private land, requiring ownership or leases and trophy fees, even for Texas Rats (feral hogs), or a cousin with acreage. "wildlife" (including T. Rats) is actually raised as livestock and is just as expensive.

Splattergun has a good point. Unfortunately, TX has very little public land due to it being an independent republic where the land was already bought up prior to joining the U.S. If I did not marry into a family with land, I would not be able to hunt nearly as much or maybe not at all.
__________________

Vurtle

February 2, 2013, 01:18 AM

As a Texan who lived in Cheyenne for three years, I do miss Wyoming. I am a sucker for public land and I used public land a lot when I lived there. The wind sucked something awful and the real estate was way too high because several Coloradans preferred to live there and drive down to ft Collins for work.
I would have a hard time giving up all the warm weather activities I participate in down here. And how in the world would I get my hog hunting fix in Wyoming. I love both states almost equally though. I wish I could live in both.

cleardiddion

February 3, 2013, 05:21 PM

The wind and winter keep out the riff raff.

Heh.

Though I would love to know why I keep seeing all these Florida and California plates in town. Maybe I should call up the DOT and tell them something's wrong with their signs since they keep wandering in. :p

I grew up in Northern Colorado but moved up here to Cheyenne a while back and I don't regret a thing!

Good people, love the culture, and the taxes aren't bad either!

I enjoy Cheyenne quite a bit. It's big enough to have everything I need but not so crowded that I feel like I'm going to be claustrophobic. Plus, if you need feel the need to go to some metropolis Denver's only an hour and a half away.

As for guns and shooting, loads of stuff in town and about. To go shooting you can either go west 30min between September and May, go north 30mins to one range, skeet and trap on the West of town, and the new Laramie County (Archer Complex) range opened not too long ago about 15-20mins East. The last one's pretty nice, if not the nicest public range I've been to with lots of lanes and an indoor pistol range when it gets too cold for people.

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